Gold Coast coach Justin Holbrook says it's up to Ash Taylor to show he deserves to be offered a new contract by the NRL club.
The 26-year-old's future is up in the air with his reported $1m-a-year deal coming to an end after the 2021 season.
Holbrook says nothing has been decided about whether Taylor will be staying or going but does think he has an edge to put his case forward on getting a new deal with the Titans.
"He's currently there so he's in the best position," Holbrook said of his five-eighth.
"He's just got to keep improving.
"He's getting there, he's just got a bit of a way to go but he's improving every weekend. He's got to keep doing that."
Taylor joined the Titans after making one senior appearance at Brisbane as a highly-touted teenage halfback.
His stint on the Gold Coast has been a rollercoaster ride, signing a lucrative contract extension in 2017 before spending time away from the game in 2019 due to personal issues.
Shifted to the No.6 jersey under Holbrook, Taylor enjoyed a solid 2020 and has been working his way back to his best in 2021 after off-season hip surgery.
If Taylor doesn't stay at the Titans, a return to Red Hill could be on the cards.
The Broncos have lost Tom Dearden next year to North Queensland and are unlikely to offer Anthony Milford a new contract, creating vacancies for Kevin Walters to fill.
Holbrook himself says he's unfazed by a lack of movement in his own club's recruitment for 2022, keeping faith he'll be able to land the targets he wants in coming months.
"It's always ongoing. There's also things that happen but there's no announcement for anyone coming in or going out," he said.
